Enclosure



Sept. 16, 1941. 1 A, VLK i 2,255,837

J. A. VOLK ENCLOSURE Sept. 16, 1941'.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1940 :Patentec'lv Sept. 16, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENoLosUTtE Joseph A. Volk, Wilton, Conn. Application september 5, 1940, serial No. 355,479

6 Claims.

This invention relates to temporary enclosures, and particularly to such an enclosure intended for use in a store to provide a compartment adjacent to the entrance door and into which goods may be delivered outside of business hours and While protecting goods already in the store from access from within the enclosure.

In my Patent No. 2,152,368 for Enclosure granted March 28, 1939, there is illustrated an enclosure for this purpose formed of a series of curtains mounted `on rollers near the ceiling of the store and which may be let down to form the enclosure and rolled up out of the way to inoperative position when not required. This arrangement requires lacing or other fastening means for joining the adjacent edges of the curtains when they are unrolled in order to prevent access to the remainder of the store from within the enclosure between the edges of the curtains, and this fastening means must be released to enable the curtains to be rolled up.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the necessity of employing such fastening means which must be secured and released after the enclosure is positioned for use and before it can be removed, respectively.

A further object is to provide for adjustment of the enclosure to the height of the ceiling so that the enclosure parts may be made of standard dimensions, the adjustment for height of ceiling being made once and for all when the enclosure is installed.

Further improvements and advantages will appear from a more complete description of an embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the enclosure in operative position, the ceiling and other portions of the store interior being omitted.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the front portion of a store showing two possible arrangements' of the enclosure,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of one portion of the enclosure adjacent to the ceiling of the store.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail sections on lines 4 4 and 5 5, respectively, of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of one end portion of the enclosure illustrating its mounting.

Figure 7 is a detail section on line 'I--l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail section on line 8-8 of Figure l. Y

As shown in Figure l, the enclosure comprises CFI 'a single curtain I Which may be extended around an area of the floor 2 of the store and extend substantially from this floor upwardly closely adjacent to the ceiling, thereby to prevent a person Within the enclosure when it is in opera# tive position having access to articles within the store outside of the enclosure. As shown, the upper edge portion of the curtain is divided part Way down as at Ia to form a plurality, of at least three, sections for the curtain. Each of these sections has its top edge secured to an elongated roller 3, the rollers being angularly related so as to substantially follow the area to be enclosed and forming upper edges of straight side walls for such area angularly related to each other. As vshown inFigure 6, the ends of the rollers 3 which are positioned adjacent to the ends of the curtain and adjacent to a Wall 4 of the store within which is positioned a doorway 5, are held in position adjacent to the ceiling of the room as by the angle rods 6. One upper end of such rod 6 may be extended through a hole in the roller 3 and the lower portion, laterally offset as at l, may be supported in a pair of ears B in a bracket 9 Isecured to any suitable portion of the side Wall 4, as for example, to a side sill I of the door opening. The opposite ends of these rollers 3 and also the ends of adjacent rollers back from the wall 4' may be carried by suitable lbrackets I2, I3 forming portions of gear 'casings I4 and I5, respectively. These gear casings may be provided with hangers Il, each hanger having a horizontal perforation for the reception of a bar IB, the ends of which may be supported in ring bolts I9 depending from ceiling beams 20 of the store.` Since such ceiling beams may be arranged differently inthe various buildings, the bar I8 may be of sufficient length to be supported bythe rings I9 for a Wide variation of spacing of the beams 20, or if desired, bars I8 of various lengths, which may be selected in accordance with the beam spacing as it is found in any particular store, may be employed. The hangers Il may be adjustable lengthwise of the bars I8 in accordance with the lengths of the shafts 3 and with curtain operating rollers, to be later described, and be secured in xed posi'- tions as by set screws 2 I,

In any given installation the curtain sections Will be Wound up on the rollers 3 to such an extent that the lower edge of the curtain will be located close to the floor of the store when the enclosure is in its lowered' position, but as the amount of this winding `of the top edge of the curtain sections is xed in any particular installasimilar Y or other suitable means,from the lower ends of the cut portions upwardly to as close to the rollers 3 as is convenient so as to close up as much of these openings as possible to prevent access to articles in the store from within theA enclosure through these openings.

while the curtain is shown divided at its top into three-m sections, it might be divided into more if de-v sired, with a roller 3 for supporting eachsectionf.`

As before noted, the gear casings I4and I5v are employed to support and interconnect for simultaneous rotation, means lower edge of the curtain from the floor when it is desired to remove theY enclosure ,from operative condition. The gear casing I4, as shown in Figure, 4,V comprises a pair of angularly related'wall members 39 and 3| secured together as by screws 32, and a zigzag back plate 33 secured to the re` mote edges of the plates 30 and 3| as by screws 34. Y These plates define a pair of yangularly related chambers and 3l for the reception of in- -rigid As shown in Figure 1, the drive roller 63 ex-` tending from the gear box I5 is journaled atl its opposite end ason a trunnion 65 which is held between the ears of the bracket 9 by the mem;- ber 6 which passes therethrough. These shafts 4,5, 59 and.` 63 have secured thereto at suitable points exible members such as cables 66 which may be wound cn these shafts by rotation thereof,

these cables being secured at their lower ends to` members 61 to which the lower edge of the y curtain is secured. As shown best in Figure 6,

for lifting-fthe.

termeshing bevel gears 38fand 39,'respectively,

carried by shafts 40 Vand 4I. The shaftY 40 is journaled in the plate 30 and has secured to its outer end a socket member 4I within which is secured as by the cotter pin 42 the rounded end 43 of a plug 44 which closes one end of a tubular roller 45. This head 43 is provided with flat faces 46 so spaced that the plug l43 is substantially nonrotative about its axis with respect to the socket 4I, although it is permitted a considerable free,- dom of universal movement with respect to this socket as rfar as this is allowed bythe cotterpin 42. This permits the angularity of the roller with respect to the shaft 40 to be varied quite nec'tion between this shaft 38 and the ro1ler 45.`

The shaft 4I is journaled in the plate 3I vand hassecured to its outer end outwardly of the gear casing, as by a cotter pin 48, a plug' 49 which closes the open end yof a tube 5I] serving as a portion of another roller. The opposite end of this tube 5I) is closed off by a plug 5I which may be similar to the plug 49, and this'plug 5I `s connected as by the cotter pin 52to a shaft 53' journaled in the gear casing I5. This gear ycasing I5 is provided with means by which rotation may be imparted to the roller 50. For this purpose the shaft 53 has a worm gear 54 secured to its inner end with which meshesa wor'm 55 on a shaft 56 arranged in a substantially vertical position and as shown in Figure 3 having a hook 51 secured to its lower end. This permits engagement with a similar hook oran eye on a hand operated crank rod (not shown) by the'rotation Vwidely and yet alfords a rotating driving conl of which the shaft 55 may be rotated. The gear Vcasing I5 also has journaled therethrough a shaft s 6B having a worm'gear 6I thereon whichY also meshes with'the worm 55, so that as this Yworm is rotated not only is the roller'50 rotated but the Vshaft 69 is also rotated.' This shafti) may have secured at'its outer end a socket 54' similar to the socket 4I and to which may beV securedfn ya manner an end closure plug 52; similar to Vthefp'lug 44 for a tubular .roller 63. The Ygear casing lI5m`aybefarran'ged at any ldesired'corner of the enclosure'and 'serves'to drive Yrollers 59 and ,Y

63 with the same drive member, while the roller these Vrigid members may be pipes. The forward end-s'of these members 6l which terminate adjacent to the wall member 4 may be provided with loops 68 through which extend upright posts69. The upper end of each post 69is shown as provided with aneye 'i9 which engages a screw eye `'II carried by the bracket 9'.' This permits the lower end of either of the upright bars 69 to be swung outwardly from adjacent to the wall member when desired, permitting the adjacent end of the bar 67 to be lifted, the ring member 68 sliding upwardly on the upright 69; into' the posi/tion 'shown in dotted lines injFigure 1, which'permits padlock 1I, the hasp of which may pass through the ring 58,'a ring 'I2 secured to the lower end of the upright B9 and a perforated angle bracket 'I3 which may be secured to a Xed part of the store, such as the wall or floor or both.Y It will be understood that one of these padlocks is provided for the lower end of each of theuprights 69. The rear'bar or bars 69 which donot approach the wall of the ystore may be anchored down to the floor by means such as shownin Figure 8. Each anchorage comprises a setvscrew socket 'I5 embedded in the oor. Cooperating with this socket 'is a bolt 'ljwhich may pass through the Arear Ythreaded' thereon and a disk shaped shield 19 enclosing this nut may be employed to prevent access thereto from within the enclosure when they curtain is down. For the purpose of further preventing unauthorized loosening of a screw 'I6 and for indicating that the enclosure hasbeen tampered with if it should be so loosened, each of the screws 'I5 may have a polygonal socket 80 in its upper end into which may be extended an ,actuating crank 8I.

The two cranks at the back corners fof the enclosure may be tied together by a bar 82 having at each end va boleto take over the upper end of thehandle 3|.k TheseY holes are preferably spaced differently from thecrank centers, as shown shorter, so that an attempt to turn one of the cranks willcause both to lock with the bar. AShould the bar 82 be-found detached, it will be clear that the enclosure has been tampered with. Y

In order to retain the curtain in a neat folded condition when its lower end is lifted by rotation of the winding rolls 45, r5I! and 63, the cords 56 spaced eyelets or grommets 85 -set in-holes through the curtain in vertical series. In order that the --forward edges ofthe curtain may be held'close to thewall member so that access may not be had between these edges and the wall member to articles 'within the store, the forward edges of the curtains ymay be provided with a series of eyesv 88 as shown-in' Figure '7 slidable on the uprights 69. As shown these eyes mayvhave forked extensions 89 which may be crimped about an enlarged edge binding 90 of the curtain which may be formed by folding its edge over about a ilexible filler strip 9i. It will be noted that the connections at the corners of the enclosure at the supporting bars 3, at the rigid lower members B1, and between the ends of the winding rolls 45, 50 and B3 are of considerable flexibility so as to permit the enclosure to be conformed readily to the various conditions which may be encountered in different buildings, permitting the curtain sections to be associated with each other at various angles. For example, as shown in Figure 2 in full lines, the sides of the enclosure extend backwardly from the door casing substantially perpendicularly thereto and the back wall portion of the curtain is substantially parallel to the front wall of the Istore within which the entrance door is positioned. However, the enclosure may be arranged in many different shapes, another of which is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, in which the sides of the enclosure are arranged at acute angles to the forward faces of the store portions to which they are secured and make an obtuse angle with the back wall member. This possibility of considerable variations in the angular relations of the wall portions of the enclosure make it possible to employ the same equipment in a great variety of relations, and with the further adjustment for height of ceiling provided by rolling the top edge of the curtain on the supports 3 to the desired extent, provides a single structure of substantially universal application to the various conditions which may be met in practice. In each case the enclosure may shut olf a portion of the store to which access may be had by a store door, from the remainder of the store, so that goods may be delivered therein outside of business hours. When the store is to be opened, this enclosure may be moved out of the way by a person having a key by which the enclosure may be unlocked, whereupon the goods delivered within the enclosure may be placed with the store stock, and the enclosure presents no obstruction to normal use of the store.

From the foregoing description of an embodiment of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modications might be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An enclosure comprising a single curtain, means for supporting said curtain adjacent to the ceiling of a room to enclose an area extending from a wall of said room having a door therein, said curtain supporting means including a plurality of rollers arranged substantially end to end and some at least angularly related to an adjacent roller for supporting the upper edge of said curtain, the upper portion of said curtain being divided into sections, each of said sections being wound on one of said rollers to an extent to permit the lower edge of said curtain to be posiltioned f adjacent to .ther-ilooriA of Itheroo'm', and

means`V for lifting the =loweredge of said curtain 4from said oor substantially simultaneously 4at a plurality of positions distributedaround said area.

2. An enclosure comprising a single curtain, means for supporting said curtain adjacent to the ceiling ofa room-to enclose an area extending from arwall of said room having aldoor therein,

`said curtain supportingl means includingr'a plurality of rollersarranged substantially end to end and some at'v least angularly related to lan adjacent roller for supporting the upper edge of said curtain, the upper portion of said curtain being divided into sections, each of said sections being wound on one of said rollers to an extent to permit the lower edge of said curtain to be positioned adjacent to the floor of the room, means for releasably securing said sections together in said divided portion from the lower end of the division upward adjacent to said rollers, and means for lifting the lower edge of said curtain from said oor substantially simultaneously at a plurality of positions distributed around said area.

3. An enclosure comprising a curtain, means supporting said curtain with reference to a wall member and a floor to denne with said wall member an enclosed area of said floor, said supporting means including a normally upright rigid member hingedly supported above its lower end adjacent to said wall member, means carried by an end of said curtain slidably securing said end to said rigid member, a second rigid member, means for hingedly supporting said second rigid member at the lower portion of said curtain remote from said wall member with said second member normally extending adjacent to said Wall member adjacent to the floor of said enclosure and to which the lower edge of said curtain is secured, and means for locking the lower end of said normally upright member and said second member together adjacent to said floor and wall member.

4. An enclosure comprising a curtain, a plurality of elongated members arranged in end to end angular relation adjacent to the ceiling of a room and to which the upper portion of said curtain is secured, a plurality of rigid members arranged in end to end relation and normally close to the floor of said room and to which the lower edge of said curtain is secured, the ends of said curtain extending adjacent to a wall member of said room having a doorway therethrough through which access may be had to the interior of said enclosure, bars hinged at their upper ends to said wall member and to which the ends of said curtain are slidably secured, means engaging the lower portion of said curtain at spaced points therealong for lifting said curtain above said floor, means for releasably securing the adjacent ends of said rigid members to said iloor, and means for locking the lower ends of said bars and the adjacent ends of said rigid members adjacent to said floor and wall.

5. An enclosure comprising a curtain, a plurality of elongated members arranged in end to end angular relation adjacent to the ceiling of a room and to which the upper portion of said curtain is secured, a plurality of rigid members arranged in end to end relation and normally close to the floor of said room and to which the lower edge of said curtain is secured, the ends of said curtain extending adjacent to a wall member of said room having a doorway therethrough through which access may be had to the interior of said enclosure, vrollers supported'adjacent `to said elongated members, cordssecured to said rollers and extending from side to side of said curtain through vertically spaced openings therethrough and secured at their lower endsto the y Vfloor, andwmeans Afor retaining the ends of said curtain adjacent to said Wall member.

6 An enclosure comprising a curtain, means for supporting lthe upper portion of 'said curtain Y' adjacent'to the ceiling of a room, a rigid frame vmember to'which the lower edge of said curtain is secured and normally closey to the floor of said room and atleast partlyl dening an area of said floor, elements journaled in said frame member for threaded engagement in said iloor and having crank portions, and a locking bar having holes to receive said crank portions spaced apart a dis- 10 tance different from the spacing of said elements.

JOSEPH A. VOLK. 

